Disclaimer: The characters of, "Stargate: SG-1" and "Stargate Atlantis", are owned by Robert C. Cooper, Brad Wright, Sci-Fi Channel and whoever else was involved with the creation and production of these two shows. Any new characters and story lines that come into play are of my own creation. No copyright infringement is intended. This is a fan fiction intended for entertainment purposes only and no money is being made off of it.
Chapter 22: Ereshkigal and the Tigrians
Cirkinen had led Elizabeth to a tent that wasn't too far away. When she had walked inside, she saw one feathered mattress, a pillow and two blankets. On a small table, on the other side of the bed, was a bowl of fruit, a jug of water, a basin and a towel.
She ate a few grapes before she settled down onto the bed. She attempted to clear her mind so she could get some much-needed rest but her mind lingered within the fear and anxiety of when she had been captive. She finally fell asleep, but she couldn't escape from the dark thoughts that had begun to take over her mind.
When Elizabeth's eyes opened, fear clutched at her heart and her throat tightened. She blinked a few times to see if she was really in the tent and not in the dungeon. She realized that she was in the tent; she released a breath that she didn't realize she had been holding in and concentrated on stopping her heart from pounding. She took a couple deep breaths to help release the fear.
She stood up and walked over to the little table. She poured some water into the basin, leaned over and splashed her face. She used the towel to dry herself before she grabbed a couple of apples to eat.
She decided that it would be best to find Cirkinen and find out as much as she could about these people and Ereshkigal. Then she was going to figure out how she was going to return to Atlantis.
Charage placed the scroll back into its case and returned it the slot that had a good layer of dust around it. He had been in the Archives searching for real answers about Ereshkigal and the true history of the Tigrians.
Fear of discovery of his treacherous act was foremost in his mind, but he pushed it back so he could focus on the information he desperately needed to find. His brother had been right all along about Ereshkigal, which made Charage feel as though his entire life had been a lie.
"Charage, the Goddess calls for you," the voice of Pullsi, one of the minor archivists, coming from the direction of the door leading into the Archives.
"Yes, I shall leave this moment and be within her shining presence momentarily," he replied as he returned the useless scroll back into its slot.
Fear filled him as he turned around and started to walk through the maze of shelves and back to the entrance to the Archives. When he had returned several hours before, he had tensed at the slightest sound that reached his well-honed ears. It had been a risk to return but it would have been an even greater risk if he had not. Disappearing from the fortress had been a risk.
He bowed deeply and rose after Ereshkigal told him to rise.
"Charage, have you heard about the prisoner escaping?"
"Yes, my Goddess. I believe the guards and servants have checked the palace and the city thoroughly."
"They are now searching beyond the city."
He remained silent; a fear began to crawl through him like a spider. He wondered if she had discovered the hidden village in the woods.
"They have discovered nothing, which I have found to be truly surprising and disappointing."
"Do you know of anyone who would dare betray me?" she said as she turned around and moved so quickly and stood in front of him, her dark, stormy blue eyes focused intently into his eyes.
He held his gaze, knowing that if he blinked, his life would be forfeit. "Of course not, Eternal One. You're worshipped with reverence and we seek you for guidance. You will lead us to our true destiny!"
Her eyes didn't waver as he maintained his gaze and hoped that she would believe his lies.
When Elizabeth had stepped out of her tent, on of the Tigrians came up to her and asked her if she needed anything. She asked if she could speak to Cirkinen. After walking in the direction that the Tigrian had indicated, she saw Cirkinen sitting on the edge of a bank of a wide river. She walked toward him, being careful of the downward slope.
"You have many questions, don't you, Descendant?" The Tigrian asked, without turning around.
She was surprised that he had detected her, let alone known that he knew it was she since he hadn't even turned around.
She sat down beside him and watched the flow of the water for a few minutes as she tried to figure out what she wanted to ask first. "I wish to know everything about your people and Ereshkigal."
He turned to her, with a sad smile on his face. "That would take a long time to tell, but I shall keep it as short as possible." His gaze returned to the direction of the river, but she knew that he was seeing something else.
"There is still much we do not know or understand, but everything that Ereshkigal has led us to believe is a lie. The truth is that we do not know our true history. All I know is that after she arrived, our history was kept behind locked doors in the Archives."
She understood his feelings since the history of Earth and Atlantis had been hidden for several millennia, and there was still a lot that was a mystery. "No one has read the history?"
He shook his head. "I believe that Ereshkigal had the history of our people changed but there must be something there that will tell us the truth. Of course, I do not believe that it will be written clearly but more within the false history itself."
She nodded. "We call it 'in between the lines'."
"When my brother, Charage, became the Keeper of the Archives, I thought that the truth would be revealed and we would discover our true history."
His head dropped down and he sighed. "He didn't believe what I believed. He believed that Ereshkigal was a true goddess and that she one day would return and bring us all to glory!" He shook his head and looked over at her.
"It was when she returned that he began to question it all, but that is another tale."
She nodded, prompting him to continue with a wave of her hand.
"There are a few of us that have always believed that we were just mere servants of a vain goddess that had abandoned us for several millennia. There are those who believe so zealously that they will kill anyone who doesn't believe."
"What about the Ancients? Why do your people hate the Ancients?"
"Probably because she hates them." He shook his head. "I do not know why she has such hatred for your ancestors. We were taught that the Ancients wanted to use us for devious purposes. They would then destroy us or keep us as slaves."
"Is there anyway to stop her?" She asked, hopeful that this being before her would have something they could use.
When he shook his head, she placed a hand on his arm, knowing that he had been trying to find a way to end the tyranny of a false goddess and bring the truth to the followers that still believed in Ereshkigal.
She put her head in her hands, somehow feeling more trapped than she did when she was a prisoner. She felt a hand on her shoulder and she looked up at the Tigrian.
"Something needs to be done and my people need your help and the help of your people."
Her brown eyes locked with his green ones. "I know."